Naples Marine awarded the Purple Heart

NAPLES: A U.S. Marine from Naples is the proud recipient of the Purple Heart. Lance Corporal Vidal Sanchez III was injured by an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Afghanistan. His wife and mother say they couldn't be more proud.

Amanda Sanchez says she is counting down the days until her husband returns from a year-long tour in Afghanistan.

Holding back tears Tuesday, she described the last eight months.

"I knew it was going to be hard, but we have each other," she said.

Lance Corporal Vidal Sanchez III was on a combat mission in Helmand Province of Afghanistan.

He and his team were providing security for the commanding general when an IED went off.

For a short time, Sanchez was lying unconscious. When he came to, he pulled an injured soldier to safety and directed the rest of the troop to fight.

When he made it back to base at Camp Leatherneck, he called home.

"And I noticed by the tone of his voice that something was wrong," said Amanda Sanchez.

She said at that moment, she knew her husband was injured.

"I couldn't do anything, I was just in shock," she said.

Sanchez's mother, Charo Domm, said she was in shock as well. She explained that she was opposed to him joining the military, but let him go so that he could follow his dream.

She described the phone call she got as her worst nightmare.

"It was really hard just not knowing, you know? Was it an arm? Was it a leg?" she said.

His mother says she's never felt so proud.

"He saved somebody's life which is just like, I can't imagine," she said.

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